Lost and Found
by Happily Ever After. Again
Summary: A slightly dramatic character study of the youngest von Trapp.


Disclaimer: I disclaim.

I realize this is a deep dramization of cute little Gretl... but I liked the idea and couldn't resist. But just for all you fluff people (LIKE ME!) I'm in the process of writing a happy Gretl piece! Yay!

* * *

><p>She was the youngest of 7 children. She had no mother and she felt lucky her father even knew her name. She may have only been 5, but growing up with no parents wasn't exactly something she wanted to do. She'd spent most of her life alone, in the company of only Frau Schmidt, the housekeeper and the maids. Occasionally and mostly during the summer months she had a governess. But she was only there to drill the young girl in her studies, and make sure she didn't injure herself or some other unseen calamity were to occur. Her brothers and sisters hardly ever spoke to her. They barely knew her. She didn't speak to them much either. Occasionally she would talk to Marta, who seemed to be the kindest and most understandable of the group but that wasn't frequently. She was home alone all day while the others were at school, and was destined to entertain herself by making fictional worlds of herself and her new, <em>nicer<em>, siblings, and her loving mother and father in her wonderful dolly dreamland. She never spoke to anyone, but that wasn't too big a difference from her other siblings speaking habits. She hadn't spoken anything in the first place until she was almost 3 years old. She didn't trust adults and didn't understand why no one seemed to love her. In fact she doesn't remember ever having those words spoken to her. So when Fräulein Maria arrived and Gretl was the first to like her... well, it was practically an apocalyptic occurrence.

* * *

><p>But as Liesl looked deeper into what happened that day... they wouldn't know if it was typical of Gretl to like adults quickly because, they simply did not know Gretl to begin with. They hadn't taken the chance to get to know the girl. She tried to be the big sister everyone looked up to, but she did not seem to feel motivation after her mother died. Of course she looked after them... she just didn't feel the need to be over protective or be a mother to them. She was glad Gretl trusted Fräulein Maria. Even though she offered to let Gretl ride with her the day they went biking, she was kinda glad she chose to ride behind their governess instead.<p>

* * *

><p>Maria was the only one to know a lot about Gretl. She knew Gretl was afraid of not only Thunderstorms, but bugs and spiders too. She did like frogs though. She knew that Gretl's favorite color was by far baby blue, the color of the sky, and the nursery her mother had painted before her passing. But the most important thing was that she understood that even if Gretl was the first to like her... She was the last to trust her.<p>

* * *

><p>Gretl loved Fräulein Maria those most and Brigitta knew it. She understood why Gretl always ran to Fräulein Maria for everything. Whether she had gotten her finger caught in Frederich's teeth or had finally mastered her part in "So long, Farewell." She always ran straight to Fräulein Maria, because for the first time in her life she had someone to tell who <em>cared<em>. Brigitta really did love Gretl. She just felt that Gretl being born had weakened her mother as she had been struck with the fever. Brigitta certainly wasn't one to hold a grudge but it did keep her from ever wanting to know her youngest sister. She had only one or two memories of her late mother, and she resented that. But she considered Fräulein Maria to be a loving mother figure, and she would (correctly) assume Gretl did too.

* * *

><p>It wasn't that Frederich didn't like Gretl... just that he didn't care for little girls. He had so hoped that Marta would've been a brother. And then Gretl... but alas no. They now had Marta and Gretl. Frederich was no doubt closest to Kurt, his only brother. But even they had a strained relationship. And yes, he does think Gretl is cute, but aren't most little children nuisances? Time will only tell. Now that Fräulein Maria's here, he knows all of his sisters better, and his relationship with Kurt was better than ever. Well... as close as they could be as brothers.<p>

* * *

><p>Now Louisa, she didn't like girly things. Or girly colors. Or girly clothes. Or girly people. She wasn't a tomboy persay, as she still enjoyed doing simple things with her sisters and Fräulein Maria, such as singing or dancing around. She'd even played dolls once or twice. And it wasn't that she didn't <em>like <em>Girly people... just that she would've rather spent time with someone like her governess, who didn't always want her wearing jewelry and giggling about boys. She wanted her life simple, and her people simple too. It may have been one of the reasons she was around Gretl a lot. She didn't really know Gretl well, but enjoyed her simple silent company compared to that of her other sisters. She knew Gretl didn't trust quickly but could certainly hope she trusted her. She caught her falling out of the boat, and when she fell out of that tree, and the time they all went to cross a river Louisa helped her. But she knows she can't guarantee anything. But she can sure hope.

* * *

><p>Kurt loved Gretl, and when given the chance, would dote on her and protect her like an older brother should. He just didn't ever feel like he had the chance. Especially before Fräulein Maria came... he knew she barely trusted him. And he understood her reasoning. And even though he may not have had the chance to show her before, he'd protect her now. From bullies in the school yard and crazy boys trying to kiss her. He'd protect her from a thunderstorm too, if he wasn't so scared of them himself. And he'd play with her when no one else would... even if it meant playing dolls once or twice. Not because he particularly enjoyed dolls and such games girls played... but more along the lines of him wanting a happy family and being willing to do anything to get it.<p>

* * *

><p>Marta missed being the littlest. And she missed her mom. Even though she had no memories of her... It took a lot to be an independant grown up seven year old, but if you asked anyone else, she was pretty darn good at it. Even if she shouldn't have been. She shouldn't have to keep to herself that much, but what did she know about it? This was how she had lived ever since she could remember. She loved Fräulein Maria so much. She finally got that chance to be the carefree seven year old she'd always dreamed of being. She was incredibly grateful to her governess for all that she had done for her. But Gretl had changed the most since her arrival. Marta knew Gretl pretty well considering how well most people knew her. She had sat through all of Gretls nightmares and dollgames, and had watched as after every nightmare she ran to their Fräulein. And how in every doll game, the mothers name was Maria. She wouldn't be surprised if Gretl already called the woman their mother. And she wouldn't blame her either.<p>

* * *

><p>Now, here the young girl stood waiting in front of Leisl and Marta about to go down the aisle. She watched as Maria walked stood in front of the gates to the chapel and finally realized... She had a home. She had a family.<p>

She was happy.

* * *

><p><strong>There you go... my first SOM fic! So happy :)<strong>


End file.
